1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to strand length adjusting fasteners and more particularly to a shoe lace loose end knot eliminating gripping device.
As is well known the end portions of a shoe lace are tied in a bow knot for ease in untying. These knots frequently work loose as a result of alternating pressure and release of pressure applied to the knot during walking or running and thus must be retied particularly in the case of many children who do not tie the knots sufficiently tight and who may not tie the knot known as a "square knot" as opposed to a different tie generally known as a "granny knot". Furthermore, the configuration of the laces such as are frequently used in athletic shoes which are generally loosely woven tend to become untied when compared with the shoe lace commonly used with dress shoes.
It is, therefore, desirable that some means be provided for securing the confronting end portions of shoe laces or other strands and which is at least as easily released as a bow knot tied shoe lace.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,650,399 discloses a disk-like shoe lace and knot retainer in which the retainer is provided with apertures and a recess on its periphery. The lace end portions are passed through the apertures from back to front and across the retainer periphery and bow knot tied behind the retainer in a manner to conceal the knot and present a decorative front appearance by the design on and/or shape of the retainer.
This invention is distinctive over this patent by providing a lace loose end retainer having a slot therein through which lace end portions are tortuously entrained in confronting relation and doubled back upon itself in a manner to secure the lace ends without tying until manually released.
Other patents disclose shoe lace end portion retainers generally requiring two or more components cooperating to grip a lace therebetween whereas this invention is unitary and yet grips and holds the lace ends in a lace tightened position.